


Gladiolus and Gerbera

by battle_goats



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Florist Hinata Shouyou, M/M, Omiai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 18:28:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6621490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/battle_goats/pseuds/battle_goats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata is a florist who's allergic to pollen.  Ushijima is his regular customer.  They're both stupid in love.</p>
<p>For herehavesomepie on tumblr, who was one of the winners for my giveaway back in February.  This is a long time coming, and I'm sorry for the delay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gladiolus and Gerbera

The bell jingled as Wakatoshi opened the door. The interior was cool and smelled faintly sweet from the flowers. Flowers hung in baskets from the ceiling, and shelves of narrow black pots covered the floor space. Along one wall was a refrigerator filled with bouquets and completed flower arrangements. A rack of greeting cards sat beside the register counter, but there were no employees in sight. He knew Shouyou would be here today. Shouyou always worked on Friday afternoons.  
Someone sneezed loudly, but he couldn’t see them.  
“I’ll be right with you!” a bright voice called. Wakatoshi glanced around and saw a head of red hair peaking out from between two large pots of tall sunflowers. The person sneezed again. It was an oddly cute sneeze, there was a squeak in the person’s voice when they exhaled. The person stepped out from behind the sunflowers to reveal a short young man dressed in soil stained jeans, a plain orange t-shirt and an apron with the shop’s logo embroidered on the chest pocket.  
“Oh, Ushijima-san, welcome back! Are you here to pick up the bouquet your mother ordered?” Shouyou asked.  
“Yes, I am,” he answered. His family had been coming to this flower shop for so long, that he remembered when he was six, he’d seen Shouyou for the very first time. He’d been a tiny four year old, who clung to the pleats of his mother’s skirt. Wakatoshi was shaken out of memory lane by Shouyou’s movements across the shop floor.  
Shouyou was a contradiction. He was outgoing, but incredibly nervous around strangers. He was graceful when he moved, but constantly bumped into objects when he walked. But the one thing that remained consistent was his ever sunny personality.  
Wakatoshi loved him for it. Loved him, but never said a word. They’d practically grown up together. He’d wanted to confess. So many different times, he’d felt the words on the tip of his tongue. But never did he say them. It never felt right. And now he was in the worst situation possible. With no marriage prospects in sight, his family was turning to omiai to find him a wife. And now it was too late. Too late to have anything with Shouyou.  
Shouyou opened up one of the fridge doors and produced a bouquet sitting in a crystal vase. He held it carefully in his arms as he carried it to the register counter. Shouyou set it down and removed the tag taped to the vase. Shouyou reached for a pen and paused and whipped his head around into his elbow and sneezed.  
“Oh, excuse me. My allergies are really acting up today,” he said with a smile.  
“Don’t you have allergy medication to take?” Wakatoshi asked.  
“Usually. But I’m all out and haven’t had time to go to the pharmacy.”  
Shouyou tallied up the cost of the arrangement.  
“Okay, that will be 3,370 yen,” Shouyou said. Wakatoshi handed the younger man his money and he received his change. Wakatoshi carefully picked up the bouquet.  
“It looks wonderful, thank you,” Wakatoshi said.  
“You’re welcome, have a nice day,” Shouyou said. Wakatoshi nodded and walked out. He walked to his car parked a block down the street and paused. He was parked in front of a pharmacy. With a shrug, he put the flowers in the car and ran into the pharmacy.  
Less than five minutes later he walked back into Hinata Flowers and before Shouyou could say a word, Wakatoshi placed a bottle of over the counter antihistamines next to the cash register.  
“Ah, Ushijima-san, you didn’t have to do that,” Shouyou said. In the time it took for Wakatoshi to get the medicine, Shouyou had made a flower crown and was wearing it in his fluffy red hair. It consisted of sweet peas, gardenias, yellow and red camellias, and a single yellow tulip. It was beautiful, and Wakatoshi wondered what it meant.  
“I wanted to. There’s no point in you suffering needlessly,” he replied.  
“Thank you, very much,” Shouyou said. Shouyou smiled brightly and Wakatoshi was momentarily stunned by it. While the smile was genuine, there was something sad about it. God did he hate this. With one last look at Shouyou, he walked out once more.

Wakatoshi delivered the flowers to his mother as she paced anxiously in the living room of their family home.  
“Oh, these look lovely. I knew I could trust them to do a beautiful job,” she said. She glanced at the tag attached to one of the flower stems “Oh, Shouyou-kun made this one. Now, are you ready for today?”  
“As I’ll ever be, I suppose,” he sighed. “I know that this is what Grandfather wanted, but, do I really have to do this?”  
“I wish it wasn’t so, Wakatoshi-kun. That was his stipulation in his will. If you weren’t in a committed relationship with the intention to marry, or married by your twenty-fifth birthday, we have no choice but to go through with omiai. Now, if you don’t want to be late, you’d better get changed.”  
His mother gave him a nudge, and Wakatoshi stumbled towards the hallway to his childhood room. No doubt, a brand new suit would be waiting for him.  
Wakatoshi changed into the suit and combed his hair back.  
“Wakatoshi, it’s time,” his father’s voice sounded through the door. Wakatoshi opened the door and stepped out. His father was also dressed in a suit and he led his son to the parlor, where voices already sounded.  
“Don’t look so tense, Wakatoshi. She’s a pretty one, and smart too,” his father said. Takashi Sorai hadn’t expected to have to help arrange a marriage for his only son. Hell, the only reason he’d been allowed to marry his wife was because it had been a honest love match, and Ushijima Masao had approved of their union. That, and because Sorai had agreed that their children would take the Ushijima name.  
Wakatoshi slid the door open and stepped inside.  
His father was right, she was pretty. Her shiny black hair was pulled into an elegant twist, and she wore minimal makeup to accentuate dark blue eyes. She was fairly petite, and when she rose to greet him, she barely came up to his chest.  
“It’s nice to meet you, Ushijima-san,” she said as she bowed. He bowed in return.  
“Likewise, Shimizu-san.”  
They sat across from each other, with their parents flanking them. They made light conversation, and Wakatoshi could feel her parents judging him on every word he spoke. She was wonderful. Intelligent, well-educated, and beautiful. But he could tell already that she wasn’t for him. No. Like, him, she was doing this out of obligation. There was already someone for her. But they’d now been formally introduced. They had no choice but to go through with the requisite three dates.  
The meeting ended, and the Shimizu family took their leave. As soon as their car was out of the driveway, Wakatoshi’s mother turned to him.   
“What did you think?” she asked.  
“I think she was as interested as I was. That is, not at all,” Wakatoshi said.  
“Honestly, really?” she asked.  
“Now, now, did you really think Wakatoshi would connect with the first person he was introduced to?” Sorai asked his wife.  
“I know, dear. But she’s lovely. Shimizu-san could be a good match,” she insisted. Wakatoshi didn’t want to hear this. His heart had belonged to Shouyou for years. Even if he’d wasted so much time in silence, that was his own fault.

Shouyou sighed as he completed his arrangement. He set it in a vase and stared through the crystal. His eyes focused on the display of bluebells on the other side.  
“Shou-chan, what’s wrong?” his mother asked as she eyed his arrangement. She combed her fingers through his thick hair like she used to when he was younger. “Is it about Wakatoshi-kun?”  
“What gave it away?”  
“Oh, just all the yellow tulips you’ve been using lately,” she said. “Sweetie, you have to know that you had years to say something.”  
“I know, mom. I’ve tried so many times. But I kept chickening out. I’m a coward, and now he’s probably going to be engaged to someone soon.”  
Shouyou groaned. He toyed with the roll of green tape on the counter. He’d known Ushijima Wakatoshi for almost as long as he’d been a part of the shop. Even as a child, sitting on a stool and counting inventory, the Ushijima family had been regulars for the shop then. He’d thought Wakatoshi had been so cool. He was tall for his age, and Shouyou had always envied that. He’d always been small for his age.  
Then he found out Wakatoshi played volleyball. And he was incredible, the best in the prefecture. He was officially the coolest person Shouyou knew. Thanks to the family shop, Shouyou had been unable to join any sports clubs, let alone the volleyball club in high school. He simply wouldn’t have had enough time in the day to do everything.  
Shouyou watched Karasuno High’s volleyball team struggle during practice and in official games. He’d always wondered how things would have been different had he been able to play.  
“Oh, Shou-chan. I know you’ve always admired Wakatoshi-kun, but maybe it’s time you started looking elsewhere,” his mother said. She finally turned her gaze from the arrangement in front of her son and gave his shoulders a squeeze. “You’re a wonderful young man who anyone would be lucky to have.”  
Shouyou sighed again. He didn’t want just anyone though. Ushijima Wakatoshi had been his first and last crush. He was the reason he’d ever even realized he was gay. Even at his most gangly and awkward, Wakatoshi had always been quite handsome. And it was all completely pointless because Wakatoshi would be married soon.  
The door to the shop opened and Shouyou’s head snapped up.  
“Ah, Kiyoko-san, how can I help you today? Bringing more flowers for Yacchan?” Shouyou asked.  
“Hello, Shouyou-kun,” she greeted in return. “Yes, she’s been having a good week, so I wanted to wish for continued wellness.”  
Shouyou hummed in thought for a moment.  
“How about…” he trailed off as he wandered the shop floor, scooping up various flowers, “some faith, success, pride, good fortune, and of course, love.”  
The arrangement of daisies, hydrangeas, apple blossoms, and a single red rose was beautiful. Kiyoko took it gently in her arms.  
“The apple blossoms?” she asked.  
“Ah, in western flower language, it means good fortune and good things to come. I thought it worked better than using white poppies,” Shouyou said with a smile.  
“Thank you, Shouyou-kun. You’ve learned well from your family,” she said as she pulled out her wallet.  
“Oh, thank you Kiyoko-san. It took me forever though, really,” Shouyou said. He paused a moment to turn away and sneeze into a handkerchief.  
“Sorry,” he mumbled. His face was flushed with embarrassment  
“It’s okay, Shouyou-kun. Have you made any progress with your mystery love?” she asked.  
“No. Now he’s doing omiai. I’ve lost my chance,” Shouyou said. Kiyoko shifted the flowers and took Shouyou’s hands in hers.  
“You don’t know that until you try. He might not be interested in her. I’ve been dragged into omiai too. But I’m going to reject him after the third date. Even if my parents don’t approve, Hitoka-chan is it for me. I’ve made my choice, and she’s my forever girl.”  
Shouyou giggled at her words.  
“Yacchan is so lucky to have you, Kiyoko-san. I just hope Ushijima-san thinks the same of me,” Shouyou said. Kiyoko blinked in surprise.  
“Ushijima Wakatoshi?” she asked.  
“Yeah, his family have been regulars here for forever,” Shouyou said. “Why?”  
Kiyoko shoulders shook with her mirth.  
“He’s the first, ah, candidate that I’ve met with. We go on our first date on Friday evening,” Kiyoko admitted. Then an idea struck her. “Shouyou-kun, do you want me to find out if maybe Ushijima-san would be interested in you?”  
“You mean, you’re going to be my wingman?” Shouyou asked.  
“Yes. I’ll spend all three dates trying to figure out if he could potentially be interested,” Kiyoko said. Shouyou almost felt like Christmas had come early. Almost. After all, it would all be pointless if Wakatoshi ended up not being interested.  
“Thank you! Thank you Kiyoko-san. You are an angel and Yacchan is totally lucky to have you,” Shouyou exclaimed. He scurried around the counter and hugged her tightly.  
“Don’t thank me yet, Shouyou-kun. Things still have to go your way. Now I need to get to the hospital before visiting hours are over,” Kiyoko said.  
“Oh, of course. Say hello to Yacchan for me,” Shouyou said as he waved her out the door.

Kiyoko watched Ushijima-san shift in his seat. It was obvious that he was really uncomfortable. The restaurant was fancy, so fancy that he was wearing a full suit. His hair was combed back out of his face again.  
“Ushijima-san, I understand that you weren’t fully willing to participate in omiai?” she asked.  
“Ah, no. I wasn’t,” he said shortly. Wakatoshi sipped his wine and watched her carefully.  
“Any particular reason why?”  
“There’s someone. But I haven’t - haven’t said anything,” he said.  
“Oh? Why not? Surely it would be to your advantage to do so. It could have let you avoid this whole situation entirely,” Kiyoko said.  
“They do not reciprocate my feelings,” Wakatoshi said. “And yourself? You do not strike me as someone who wants to be here.”  
“I don’t. I have someone. But my parents do not approve. And she is ill,” Kiyoko responded.  
“I’m sorry. I did not mean to pry,” Wakatoshi said.  
“It’s fine. You didn’t know. But be aware that no matter what, I don’t intend on letting things progress beyond the three requisite dates.”  
“That is more than acceptable,” Wakatoshi said. His shoulders relaxed and he drank more wine.  
“Tell me about them, this person who has so clearly captured your heart,” Kiyoko prodded. She sipped her wide and waited.  
“His family owns the Hinata flower shop,” Wakatoshi said. “Have you heard of it?”  
“Yes I have. I’m becoming something of a regular there. I bring flowers to Hitoka-chan, my girlfriend, every week and I always buy from them.”  
“Then you’ve met Shouyou.”  
“I have. We attended the same high school, though I was a few years ahead of him. He’s like a wonderful piece of sunshine, isn’t he?”   
Wakatoshi couldn’t fight the smile on his face.  
“He really is.”  
Kiyoko smiled in return. There was her answer. But now that she did, Kiyoko felt that it was her responsibility to encourage Wakatoshi to confess to Shouyou.  
“Why haven’t you said anything to him yet?” Kiyoko asked.  
“He doesn’t feel the same as I do. What would be the point, knowing that I would be rejected by him. I would much rather save myself that pain.”  
“Oh, Ushijima-san, Shouyou-kun wouldn’t do that. In fact, I know that he feels the exact same way that you do,” Kiyoko said. “So really, you shouldn’t let the opportunity slip by.”  
Their entrees arrived and they descended into silence to eat. If anything, their parents were footing the bill for some incredibly expensive, but still delicious meals for nearly a month. Wakatoshi had a lot to think about. If Shimizu-san was right, then he would have everything to gain, and nothing lose by confessing to Shouyou. But what if she was wrong? That possibility was still there.

Wakatoshi had stopped listening to Tendou almost twenty minutes ago. Tendou was also halfway through a pint of chocolate ice cream.  
“Seriously, Wakatoshi. Who the fuck shows up to a meet the parents date wearing a party balloon patterned tie? I love Eita. I do. I wouldn’t have let him meet my parents if I didn’t. Hell, I told him to wear something sensible. But balloons. On a necktie!”  
“Sure, that’s great, Tendou,” Wakatoshi muttered. They were seated on Tendou’s couch. They were supposed to be going through their monthly tradition of watching a movie together. But instead, Tendou had sat down with his ice cream and a spoon and proceeded to talk about how much of a disaster Semi apparently was.  
“Oh my god, you’re not even actually listening to me. Here I am, unloading my woes about my boyfriend who doesn’t even know how to dress himself, and you just sit there and not care. Why are we friends again?”  
“Because you love the sound of your own voice, and Semi says I’m your enabler,” Wakatoshi responded. Tendou groaned in annoyance around a mouthful of ice cream.  
“At least I have a boyfriend. Unlike someone else sitting here. Still pining for your little sunflower?” Tendou teased.  
“Shut up, Satori,” Wakatoshi snapped. Tendou laughed around his spoon.  
“I’ll take that as a yes. Seriously, you should have made your move years ago. At least then, you wouldn’t have to deal with your parents trying to set you up with some stranger.”  
“I don’t need you to lecture me right now,” Wakatoshi said.  
“You know I’m right though. You just don’t want to admit it,” Tendou responded. He shoved another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.  
“I will do it once Shimizu-san and I have completed the three requisite dates. She has already told me that has no interest in anyone else but her chosen partner. We are in agreement, and I will tell Hinata how I feel,” Wakatoshi said.  
“Good for you, finally making up your mind. Only took you forever to do it.”  
Wakatoshi gave Tendou a shove to the shoulder.  
“Can we watch a movie now, like we usually do?” He asked. Wakatoshi only responded by throwing popcorn at Tendou’s face.

Shouyou and Natsu rushed around while their mother panicked over finishing fifteen arrangements for a wedding reception.  
“Natsu, help the customers, I’ll help Mom,” Shouyou said. He moved into the back where his mother was frantically sorting through flowers.  
“Shou-chan, here, can you finish the next three? Use this one as a reference,” she said frantically. She pushed over one of the completed arrangements. Shouyou looked it over and reached for the flowers he’d need.  
Within an hour, he had all three finished, but there were some flowers left over. Not enough for a full arrangement, but enough for a quick flower crown. Shouyou walked out of the back room to see Natsu talking to Wakatoshi.  
“Ah, Ushijima-san,” Shouyou greeted, “how’s the omiai going?”  
“Our final required date is next Friday. After that we will go our separate ways,” Wakatoshi said.  
“And then it’s on to the next candidate?” Shouyou asked. He couldn’t help it. If Shimizu Kiyoko hadn’t been able to catch his eye, then who was good enough for Wakatoshi?  
“There,” Wakatoshi seemed to hesitate. Then to Shouyou’s immense surprise, Wakatoshi met his eyes, “there won’t be a second candidate. There is someone I have had feelings for, for a very long time. But my own cowardice has kept me silent,” Wakatoshi said. Shouyou was struck silent. There was an intensity to his words that made Shouyou shiver. Shouyou glanced down at the flower crown of zinnias, lavender, irises, and daisies. Silently, he held it out to Wakatoshi who glanced at it then back at Shouyou.  
“Take it,” Shouyou pressed, “for good luck.”  
To his surprise, Wakatoshi inclined his head and Shouyou reached up to place the crown on Wakatoshi’s head.  
He looked a little silly in his business suit with a flower crown. But seeing him wear one of Shouyou’s creations such a deep longing in Shouyou, that he felt the words on the tip of his tongue. But they couldn’t spill out. They couldn’t. Not now. The moment was broken when Natsu spoke.  
“Shou-’nii-chan, get back to work!” she snapped. Her pigtails bounced as she huffed at her brother. Shouyou jumped and bowed quickly to Wakatoshi and hurrying back to his work. He watched Wakatoshi slip out of the shop with nothing more than the jingle of the bell above the door.  
“Natsu, why’d you do that for?,” Shouyou groused.  
“Because you’re here to work, not make moon eyes at your not-boyfriend,” Natsu said. She set her hands on her hips and Shouyou felt like he was staring down a ginger version of his mother. Shouyou sighed and walked over to behind the counter to move boxes of supplies. He sighed, the sight of Wakatoshi wearing one of his flower crowns had been incredible, least of all because of the meaning of the flowers he’d used.

They were in the middle of their final date. It was another high end restaurant, which suited Wakatoshi just fine.  
“How is, Yachi-san?” he asked. Shimizu-san smiled.  
“She has been doing well. She mentioned having news for me sometime today. She hasn’t called yet, so I’m nervous,” Shimizu-san said.  
Their dinner plates were taken away by their server when Shimizu-san’s phone rang. She froze when she saw the name on the caller ID.  
“Go ahead, answer it,” Wakatoshi said. Shimizu-san picked up her phone and answered. She got up and stepped away from the table out of courtesy. She was silent for a moment before her face broke out into the most beatific smile Wakatoshi had ever seen on someone. Then to his shock, she hopped up and down briefly. She said something Wakatoshi couldn’t quite hear, but she hung up and rushed back to the table.  
“Hitoka-chan is in remission,” she announced.  
“What are you waiting for, then? Go see her. That is momentous new,” Wakatoshi said, “we’re done here. We’ve completed the requisite dates. So you are free to be with Yachi-san, and now I have to figure out how to confess to Shouyou.”  
“Flowers are a good bet. I know we’ll still run into each other since Hitoka-chan and Hinata-kun are rather good friends. So, I will see you around, Ushijima-kun,” Shimizu-san said. She rushed out of the restaurant and to her car. Wakatoshi paid for the bill and headed out, still mulling over Shimizu-san’s words.  
“Flowers? But he works in a flower shop,” Wakatoshi mumbled out loud. He would need to think and plan if he wanted this to go right.

Two days later, Wakatoshi had no other ideas. He was staring at his phone, the number for the Hinata flower shop already punched in while his thumb hovered over the call button. Finally, he hit the button and listened to the ring tone.  
“Thank you for calling Hinata Flowers, this is Himawari speaking, how may I help you?” Shouyou’s mother answered.  
“Ah, Hinata san, it’s Ushijima Wakatoshi,” he said.  
“Oh, Wakatoshi-kun, how are you?”  
“I’m doing fine. I actually need your help. I’d like to order a custom bouquet,” Wakatoshi said.   
“Oh? Any particular message in mind?” Himawari asked. She sounded oddly pleased.  
“Well, if there’s anything along the lines of, I’m sorry I took so long to say something,” he said. She laughed at his words. “But, uh, I think something for longing, or waiting, or both. Um, love, but um, eternal, and loyalty, and hope, and anything else you think would work. I’m not good with words, so I think this is my only real chance. Oh, and, if you could not tell Shouyou about it, that would be wonderful.”  
“Oh, well that’ll be no problem. I’ll see to this one myself. I should have it done by Wednesday, I’ll give you a call when it’s ready,” she said.  
“Wait, what about the price?” Wakatoshi asked.  
“Don’t worry about that, dear. This one’s on the house,” Himawari said. “Have a nice day now.” And she hung up.  
Wakatoshi stared at his phone in shock. He’d really just ordered a bouquet of flowers from the parent of the man he was in love with. He suddenly felt completely drained of energy, as if that single phone call had sapped all his strength. He sprawled out on his couch and drifted off to sleep, the memory of Shouyou surrounded by sunflowers playing through his mind.

Shouyou peeked into the back room where his mother was putting together a new creation.  
“Who’s that one for mom?” he asked.  
“A new client. He’s confessing to the love of his life and he wants to convey as much as he can through the flower as possible. He says he’s not good with words,” she answered. She hummed along to the enka song she had playing on the old stereo in the back corner. Shouyou stepped inside and looked over the flowers she’d selected. Zinnias for loyalty, lavender for faith, red and white roses for love and devotion, violets for honesty, anemones for sincerity, azaleas for patience, and hydrangeas for heartfelt emotions.  
“Wow, whoever this is for must be really special,” Shouyou commented.  
“They must be. He was so nervous when he called. It was cute actually,” Himawari said with a smile. “Now off with you, you’re distracting me from my work.”  
Shouyou laughed and left the shop to spend the day with Yachi.

Wakatoshi walked into the shop on Wednesday afternoon, and to his complete shock, Shouyou was the one working. He wasn’t ready for this. He’d ordered the bouquet and expected Shouyou’s mother to be the one behind the counter. He couldn’t just pick up the bouquet and hand it off. That would be a disaster. Wakatoshi approached the counter and froze when Shouyou looked up at him.  
“What brings you here today, Ushijima-san,” Shouyou asked.  
“Uh, I have an order to pick up,” Wakatoshi said. He could feel his ears heating up, no doubt the tips were really red.  
“I didn’t know you had an order waiting. Mom didn’t say anything,” Shouyou commented.  
“Oh, well, it’s probably not labeled with my name,” Wakatoshi said. Shouyou walked over to the fridge and picked up the only bouquet labeled for pick up.  
“All we have is this one,” he said holding up the bouquet. Wakatoshi instantly knew that this arrangement was the one he’d come for. It was absolutely perfect. Wakatoshi knew very little of how one went about making a flower arrangement, but this one was perhaps more beautiful than any he’d ever see before.  
The shop door opened and Shouyou’s mother’s voice echoed through the room.  
“Oh, Ushijima-kun, I take it you’re here to pick up your arrangement?” she asked.  
“Yes I am. May I borrow a moment of Shouyou’s time?”  
“Yes of course,” she said.  
“May I speak to you outside, Shouyou?” Wakatoshi asked.  
Shouyou nodded and followed Wakatoshi out of the shop. Wakatoshi led him away from the door and faced Shouyou. Without a word Wakatoshi held out the bouquet of flowers. Shouyou glanced at it and then at Wakatoshi.  
“This is for you,” he said. Shouyou reached for the bouquet and took it slowly.  
“Ushijima-san, I don’t understand,” Shouyou said.  
“I-I am not good with words. That’s why I had the bouquet commissioned. But in case, the meaning of those flowers isn’t getting across,” Wakatoshi hesitated, “I love you. I have for a very long time. But I was too much of a coward to say anything. I’m sorry I left it until it was almost too late.”  
Shouyou was frozen in place. He didn’t know how to react to Ushijima’s unexpected words. But he couldn’t just leave Ushijima without an answer. Shouyou took a deep breath, but before he could speak he sneezed and very nearly crushed the bouquet in his hands. He could see Ushijima fighting off the urge to laugh before the taller man gave in. Ushijima’s laughter was contagious and Shouyou found himself laughing too.  
He stepped forward and reached up to grip Ushijima’s collar. He yanked Ushijima down and pressed a single kiss to Ushijima’s lips.  
“Just looking at this bouquet, I can see just how much you love me. It’s almost scary how much. Overwhelming even. But I can say for certain, that I love you just as much.”  
“Shouyou, thank you, so much, for being so patient with me,” Ushijima said. Shouyou stepped even closer, almost crushing the bouquet between them.  
“Ushiji-”  
“Just, Wakatoshi, please.”  
“Wakatoshi, now that you’ve presented me with this incredible arrangement, I would be honored if you took me out on a proper date now,” Shouyou said boldly.  
“Of course, and on the way, you can tell me about all the flower meanings. I left most of it up to your mother.”  
Wakatoshi took Shouyou’s hand in his and they walked back into the flower shop.

**Author's Note:**

> All of the flower meanings are based on Japanese flower language unless otherwise stated.  
> Flower meanings:
> 
> Gladiolus - (Western) strength of character, honor, faithfulness  
> Gerbera - (Western) Cheerfulness  
> Sunflower - (Western) Pure thoughts, adoration, devoted love  
> Sweet Pea - Good-bye  
> Gardenia - Secret Love  
> Yellow Camellia - Longing  
> Red Camellia - In Love  
> Yellow Tulip - One-Sided Love  
> Bluebell - Gratefull  
> Daisy - Faith  
> Hydrangea - (Western) Heartfelt Emotions  
> Apple Blossom - (Western) Good fortune and better things to come  
> White Poppy - Rejoice  
> Zinnia - Loyalty  
> Lavender - Faithful  
> Iris - Good new, Loyalty  
> White Rose - Devotion  
> Anemone - Sincere  
> Azalea - Patient


End file.
